


Tony's Darling Mortals

by Akira_of_the_Twilight



Category: Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, Demon Tony, M/M, Possessive Behavior, Possessive Tony Stark, Protective Tony Stark, Tony Hoards People
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-03
Updated: 2016-04-03
Packaged: 2018-05-30 07:34:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,927
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6414667
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Akira_of_the_Twilight/pseuds/Akira_of_the_Twilight
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“America the Beautiful having a rough morning? I thought you didn’t get those.”</p><p>The muscles in Steve’s back tensed as a skin-crawling tingle raced up his spine at Tony’s appearance. He was sure Tony hadn’t been there a moment ago.</p><p>“Shouldn’t you be asleep?” Steve deflected.</p><p>Tony scoffed. “Sleep is for mortals, and I am obviously of a different breed.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tony's Darling Mortals

**Author's Note:**

> This story is a combination of two prompts:  
> Part 1: Demon!Tony with Bucky? like no one realizes Tony’s a demon and they always get a feeling of unease around him, Pepper, Rhodey and Happy learned to ignore the feeling but the others can’t seem to shake that there’s something off with Tony. he appears out of nowhere sometimes, his grins are seriously terrifying at times, he walks with an inhuman like grace and Steve swears he’s seen Tony’s eyes turn to a fire orange colour. not to mention that Tony can be down right savage in a fight.
> 
> Demon!Tony part 2: Things get even stranger when Bucky comes along and Tony seems to just attach himself to him. they only find out he’s a demon when they end up in a trap set up by HYDRA, Bucky gets hurt, the suit is wrecked and Tony kills the HYDRA agents with his bare hands. Tony being a demon he’s not supposed to have those annoying things called feelings. but those darn humans have gotten under his skin, he cares about them. he considers all of them his and you do not mess with his things.
> 
> and
> 
> okay so we all know AWBucky is totally the ultimate collector of strays, but let's be honest--Tony is just as bad, it's just more subtle cause he collects stray people. Sure, Steve probably helped build the team, yadda yadda, but Tony is totally a people hoarder, at least as far as the people he loves. So how about some mother hen Tony? Or, well, something along those lines. (AW optional; Tony's Tony, after all)

Steve grumbled to himself as he ran a hand through his mussed hair. Contrary to popular belief, he was not a morning person until after his morning run, and he usually spent the first five to ten minutes of said run fighting off sleep. He was lucky he hadn’t barreled face first into a pole yet (he’d come close quite a few times though).

Steve yanked on one of his tees and a pair of sneakers then trudged his way to the door.

A low whistle of appreciation jolted Steve out of his sleep addled state. He whirled.

Tony cupped a steaming mug of coffee in his hands and smirked at Steve. “America the Beautiful having a rough morning? I thought you didn’t get those.”

The muscles in Steve’s back tensed as a skin-crawling tingle raced up his spine at Tony’s appearance. He was sure Tony hadn’t been there a moment ago.

“Shouldn’t you be asleep?” Steve deflected.

Tony scoffed. “Sleep is for mortals, and I am obviously of a different breed.”

Steve shook his head. It was too early in the morning to deal with Tony and his ego. “Get some sleep, Tony.” He headed for the elevator.

“I’ll save you some breakfast,” Tony hollered after Steve.

Steve nodded and raised his hand to signal he’d heard.

Later when Steve returned from his run, an entire table of food waited for him. Eggs, sausage, bacon, hashbrowns, pancakes, waffles, oatmeal, and fruit layered the tabletop.

Steve’s mouth watered. In the back of his mind he knew that these weren’t just Tony’s leftovers, that the genius had made all of the food specifically for Steve and that he really should tell Tony not to over indulge him, but Steve was so famished from his run he easily shoved the voice down. He’d remind Tony that he didn’t need to over indulge his teammates when he thanked Tony later.

The other Avengers slowly trickled into the room, all in various states of wakefulness. Each one of them partook of the spread, which never seemed to end.

Steve didn’t give it a second thought as he packed away the leftovers. Tony had always been good about estimating how much everyone on the team ate.

* * *

“So this is the man who bested you?” Steve offered his hand to Scott Lang while he teased Sam.

Sam squawked in indignation. “Who told you? SHIELD promised they wouldn’t tell you.”

Scott stammered and fumbled as he introduced himself to Steve. He was so painfully and obviously starstruck that Steve internally cringed at Scott’s hero worship. As flattering as it was to have others look up to him, such strong reactions to him left Steve feeling like he was standing in his own shadow.

“So this is the new recruit?” Tony asked.

Steve, Sam, and Scott jumped.

Where the heck had Tony come from?

“When did you get here?” Sam asked.

Tony shrugged and stepped closer to Scott. He hummed as he cocked his head and scrutinized Scott.

Scott’s brow furrowed. “You look like you’re deciding if you want to kiss me.”

Tony raised an eyebrow. “And if I wanted to?”

“First,” Scott held up a finger, “I’m flattered that Tony Stark, aka Iron Man, would find me attractive enough to want to kiss. Second, sorry, but I’m just not that into you.”

“Too bad,” Steve said. “Kissing Tony is part of the initiation process.”

Scott went wide-eyed and spun on Tony. “In that case, pucker up.” He pursed his lips in exaggeration and leaned toward Tony.

Tony chuckled and placed his hand on Scott’s lips, gently pushing the man away.

There was a flash of light in Tony’s eyes, like an orange flame. “I’m keeping you.”

Scott blinked, the corners of his mouth forming wrinkles as his lips downturned just a tad. “Are you intentionally making a _Casper_ reference? And if so, why did you pick the creepiest line in that so-called innocent movie?”

Tony grinned. “Yup, officially keeping him.” He wrapped an arm around Scott’s shoulders and guided him to the elevator. “Now, are you someone who likes to live on higher or lower floors? Also, which way do you want your windows to face?”

“Wait a moment. Are you inviting me to live here?”

“Why else would I be asking you such questions?”

Scott sputtered and gaped.

“He doesn’t waste much time adopting people, does he?” Sam commented to Steve.

Steve nodded, watching as Tony continued to question Scott, while Scott just nodded or shook his head at Tony’s questions, too flabbergasted to form a complete sentence.

* * *

“Damn,” appreciation and awe laced Clint’s voice over the comms. “Okay, I do not mind being the damsel in distress as long as Tony is my knight in shining armor.” Clint coughed. “He is vicious.”

Steve grunted as he took the brunt of one of the larger alien’s attacks. He knocked back the alien and hammered his shield into its head, knocking it unconscious.

The cries of their enemies filtered in through the comms along with Clint’s wheezes for air.

“You okay, birdbrain?” Tony said, his voice echoing through the comms as Clint’s mic picked up Tony’s voice along with Tony’s own mic.

“Ribs are a little tender and I’m going to be coughing up dust for weeks, but I’ll survive.” Clint grunted then gasped. “Shit.”

“I got you,” Tony said. “Cap, I’m taking Hawkeye off the field.”

“I can still shoot,” Clint protested.

“Affirmative, Iron Man,” Steve said, ignoring Clint. “Round up any aliens if you can. We’re almost done here and just need to apprehend the stragglers.”

“I think Tony slaughtered the stragglers,” Clint said.

Tony hushed him.

Steve frowned.

Steve couldn’t say he was surprised. He’d noticed a long time ago whenever someone on the team got injured Tony tended to get more vicious in battle, but Clint made it sound so much more than just a few extras punches thrown in or a repulsor blast with a little extra kick.

Steve kept that in mind as he and the rest of the team rounded up the last of the aliens and handed them over to SHIELD to be dealt with.

With FRIDAY’s help, Steve traced Tony’s location right before he’d taken Clint off the field.

Over a dozen alien carcasses littered the ground where Tony had been. The bodies were battered, bruised, and disjointed in such a manner that Steve swore Tony must have attacked the aliens with his bare hands and forced their limbs into such odd and painful poses.

It was his years on the battlefield that kept Steve’s stomach from somersaulting at the grotesque sight.

“This is malicious,” Natasha’s low voice intoned from behind Steve.

“Are you and Tony working together to give everyone a heart attack? The way you two sneak up on people is uncanny.”

Natasha made no comment, just studied the aftermath of Tony’s rage. A moment later, she gave a slight nod then walked off, having seen what she’d needed to.

Steve took a deep breath and surveyed the scene again. He cringed.

He really hoped to never end up on Tony’s bad side if this was the result.

* * *

“Okay, honesty hour,” Clint said as he shared a beer with Rhodey and Steve. “Who here finds Tony way too intense?”

Rhodey rolled his eyes. “Everyone finds him intense; you get used to it.”

Clint shook his head. “I’m not talking about in the fast talking and spin your head around just to try to keep up with him intense, or even in the passionate about engineering intense. I mean…” Clint gestured like he was trying to grasp his words. “I mean… like he just gives off this really intense vibe of some kind. I don’t know how to explain it.”

“Sounds like regular Tony to me.” Rhodey sipped his beer.

Steve frowned, thumbing the label of bottle. Tony did have a certain intensity to him, and just like Clint, Steve struggled to put into words what exactly that intensity was.

“You agree with me, don’t you, Steve?” Clint asked.

Steve smiled. “I don’t know. Maybe it takes a decade to get used to?”

Rhodey snorted. “You two need to chill. It’s just Tony being Tony.”

Rhodey was probably right.

* * *

Steve palms were covered in sweat and his heart beat wildly in his chest as he introduced Bucky to Tony.

After years of searching for his best friend, it was surreal to finally have him back, albeit a little worse for wear and in desperate need of some therapy, but all that meant little to Steve. What did matter to Steve though was Tony’s acceptance of Bucky. Steve knew about the assassination of Howard Stark, and he wasn’t foolish or naïve enough to hope that Tony hadn’t. He could understand Tony being reluctant to accept Bucky—even if Bucky hadn’t been in control of himself at the time and therefore didn’t deserve blame—so if Tony chose not to allow Bucky into his home, Steve wouldn’t force the issue. He just hoped otherwise, because Avengers Tower had proven to be a safe haven for all of the Avengers at one point or another, and Steve knew in his gut it would be the best place for Bucky while he recovered.

Steve watched nervously as Tony put down his tools and gave Bucky and Steve his full attention.

Bucky stiffened as Tony’s gaze landed on him.

Something flashed in Tony’s eyes. The corners of his mouth curved upward as he slid off his stool and stood before Steve and Bucky. He held out his hand. “So your Steve’s best friend?”

Bucky eyed the hand warily. He gritted his teeth and looked away. “That’s what half of my head is telling me.”

Again there was that flash in Tony’s eyes. Tony’s posture and expression changed into something Steve was hesitant to say resembled a cat having caught a canary.

Tony took a subtle step closer to Bucky as he tapped his temple for show. “Ah, right, nasty Hydra.” He pivoted and headed back to his work desk. “Enjoy your stay in Avengers Tower. I’m sure Steve already has room for you in mind, but if you want, I can always be your tour guide and see if I can find you an even better one.” Tony winked over his shoulder.

Bucky reared back, stunned by Tony’s reaction to him.

Steve himself grasped for words and understanding. So far, Tony’s reaction was better than anything Steve had imagined.

“That’s all you’re going to say?” Bucky all but demanded.

Tony shrugged. “I’m a busy man, and you look like you’ve already been put through enough. I really don’t see the need to add a bunch of meaningless melodrama.”

“Melodrama?” Bucky repeated in awe.

Tony nodded. “Exactly. Now unless you want to be my beautiful lab assistant for the day, I am going to have to ask you and Steve to leave.” Tony grinned. “But don’t worry, I’ll spend time with you later.”

Bucky gaped then shut his mouth. He looked to Steve for guidance.

All Steve could do was shrug. Even after all these years he struggled to understand Tony sometimes, and truthfully, if Tony was willing to let Bucky live in the tower with the rest of the Avengers, then Steve didn’t want to question Tony.

With a nod to indicate they should go, Steve led Bucky out of Tony’s lab.

The moment lab doors shut behind them, Bucky spoke up: “Is he always that weird?”

“Yes, but you get used to it.”

* * *

Everything was the same but different the next couple of weeks at the tower. Everyone went about their business as usual—giving Bucky the space and time he needed to get used to his new surroundings and housemates. Although, Steve pushed Bucky a little (he feared if he didn’t then Bucky would lock himself in his room, which for the most part had been the case), but otherwise left Bucky to his own devices.

It wasn’t until the two weeks had passed and Bucky began to venture out of his room on his own more that Steve noticed a shift in Tony’s routine.

Tony was suddenly always present when Bucky went to the communal floor for a meal. He always ate breakfast with Bucky, and usually he strolled into lunch and dinner the moment Bucky took the first bite of his food.

At first Steve was suspicious—his need to protect his best friend overriding his commonsense that Tony wouldn’t hurt Bucky—but he relaxed when one morning he entered the kitchen and the softest smile was on Bucky’s face as Tony cursed and tore apart the broken coffee machine.

Steve silently backed out of the room and let them enjoy each other’s company.

* * *

Tony showed up at the gym.

Steve couldn’t believe his eyes. Tony worked out, but when he did it was in his lab where he kept a bar to do chin-ups. All of his exercising was done in between projects as he waited for data or whenever he hit a creative block. To have Tony suddenly show up in the gym and dressed in sweats to workout was amazing.

Tony grinned as Steve gawked and Bucky looked between them in confusion. Bucky was covered in sweat from his sparring practice with Steve. Strands of Bucky’s hair had fallen loose from his bun. He pushed back one strand behind his ear. “Something wrong?” he asked.

Tony’s grin widened. He patted Bucky on the chest with the water bottle he had brought and focused the force of his smile on Bucky. “I was looking for a workout buddy. Steve pushes too hard, and Natasha likes to start off nice and easy but then throws in something evil like a hundred Burpees. Oh, and don’t get me started on Sam. He’s almost as bad as Steve.”

Steve was about to protest Tony’s assessment when Bucky answered in disbelief: “Me?”

Bucky might as well have gone wide-eyed and been pointing at himself when he asked his question because of how much shock and doubt was in his tone. Instead, he just stared at Tony, his expression defaulting to something reminiscent to that of the Winter Soldier.

“Of course.” Tony scoffed, patting Bucky on the chest again. “I wouldn’t be asking otherwise.” Tony grabbed the strap of Bucky’s tanktop and urged him over to a different mat. “C’mon. I already feel like my ass is losing some of its roundness. You gotta help.”

Bucky looked to Steve for help.

Steve forced himself to smile and waved at Bucky to join Tony.

He wasn’t sure what Tony was up to, but if it got Bucky to socialize more, he wasn’t going to interfere.

* * *

Movie nights had been a very casual thing. Some times they happened, and sometimes everyone was just too busy or too worn out to muster the energy to get together and watch a movie. A month after Bucky’s arrival it became a consistent thing that happened twice a week. Not everyone would join, but Tony and Bucky would always be in living room watching a movie together, and everyone was free to join them.

What they were not free to do was to take Tony’s spot snuggled up beside Bucky.

Tony had declared Bucky to be comfier than the couch, and every movie night he would burrow himself against Bucky’s side and rest his head on Bucky’s shoulder. Some nights, Steve even caught Tony with his arm wrapped around Bucky’s waist.

It was a possessive pose, and Steve worried Bucky might not be comfortable with it but for one reason or another didn’t feel safe telling Tony so.

That’s why one night Steve plopped himself in Tony’s spot. Five minutes later, Tony accidently spilled water all over Steve. When Steve came back from changing his clothes, Tony was snuggled up next to Bucky, and Bucky had his arm around Tony’s shoulders, guiding Tony to rest his head on him.

Steve realized then that maybe he should have asked Bucky before assuming the worst.

A week later, Clint took Tony’s spot and Tony dropped the bowl of popcorn on Clint’s head when he walked past.

Another week passed and Natasha took the spot next to Bucky. She gave Tony the evil eye when he walked past her with his movie snacks.

Tony didn’t drop anything on her, but after ten minutes, Natasha was covered in sweat. She mumbled something about Bucky being a furnace and changed seats.

Tony all but leaped up and took the opened spot.

Bucky just smiled and held Tony close.

After that, everyone agreed to let Bucky and Tony sit together.

* * *

“I swear, if anyone attacks us this week, I’m going to go full on demonic on their ass,” Tony grumbled as he flicked off the stove. The kitchen was filled with the smell of chicken soup, which wasn’t a surprise since Tony had just made enough to feed ten families.

In the living room, Clint sneezed and wrapped his blanket tighter around himself.

Natasha reached down to the coffee table and offered Clint a tissue, only to sneeze herself.

Sam groaned from his chair and fiddled with the cap of his cold medicine. Rhodey just glared at everyone from his chair.

Steve winced for his teammates.

Bucky stood behind Tony and wrapped his arms around Tony’s waist. “Maybe you should go to your floor and hide out there for a few days? You don’t want to get sick too.”

Tony picked up the ladle and began pouring soup into bowls. “And leave you two to take care of everyone?” Tony scoffed. “No chance. I am the den mother around here. I will nurse everyone back to health.” He winked at Bucky. “I can even nurse you back to health, if you know what I mean. I have the costume upstairs.”

Bucky pecked Tony on the cheek. “Maybe later.”

Rhodey jerked forward and covered his mouth. “I think I’m going to vomit.”

“Hey!” Tony cried out in indignation.

Rhodey’s screwed his eyes shut and swallowed hard.

“I think he’s serious.” Steve ran to the cupboards in search of a bowl Rhodey could barf into.

Just then the Avengers alarm sounded.

Tony scowled and tossed down the ladle. “That’s it! So help me, I am going to unleash hell upon whoever was stupid enough to try to destroy the world today or perform whatever jackass scheme they thought would bring them happiness or some shit.”

Bucky kissed Tony on the forehead.

Steve didn’t make it to Rhodey in time with the bowl.

* * *

“You know, I’m kind of ashamed of all of us,” Rhodey said from where he was chained on the wall. “I know Hydra had us out numbered, but really? We’ve taken down robot and alien armies, and we got subdued by just a few Hydra operatives.”

“Highly trained and very skilled Hydra operatives,” Natasha interjected as she fitted a thin piece of metal into the lock of her cuffs. She frowned when the metal snapped in two.

Steve groaned and let his head loll to the side. His gaze drifted to the blurry image of Bucky. Everything was so fuzzy and his limbs felt too heavy. He felt like he’d entered sleep paralysis. Except that wasn’t quite right. He’d just moved his head? Hadn’t he?

Steve focused on trying to move a finger.

He felt the muscle twitch, but his finger didn’t actually move.

Steve groaned.

“You okay, Cap?” Rhodey asked.

Steve groaned again.

“He’s fine,” Natasha stated. “I’m more worried at Bucky. That wound to his right shoulder should have healed by now. Whatever Hydra has given Bucky and Steve has slowed down their healing factors too.”

“Don’t remind me about that. I’m still doing my best not to freak out about Tony. God, his suit was totally trashed. I don’t even know if I want Hydra to succeed in prying him out of it or not. At least inside it they can’t hurt him, but dear god, what if he’s already hurt? Did you see the damage to his leg? He could be—”

Natasha hushed him. “The last thing we need to do right now is panic. Just give me a few more minutes and I’ll figure out a way out of here.”

Muffled screams came from the floor above.

Steve blinked and stared at the ceiling.

There were more screams and running around. Gunshots were fired and there were explosions.

Rhodey and Natasha cursed.

They whispered plans of escape to each other in a frenzy as they tried to break free of their cuffs.

The door leading downstairs into the room where they were being held captive exploded.

Tony strolled down the staircase, screams of terror his theme music as the floor beneath his feet burned and turned to ash. His pupils had expanded and swallowed the iris and whites of his eyes, and in the center of the blackness was a dancing orange flame.

Whatever Hydra had put in Steve’s system was causing him to hallucinate.

Tony flicked his wrist. The door to Steve and the other’s cell flew open and all of their cuffs came undone. All the while Tony mumbled, “No one takes my mortals and gets away with it.”

* * *

“You knew?” Steve shouted at Bucky, who flinched.

Tony glared at Steve. Tony was currently sitting next to Bucky on the couch. He had wrapped a protective arm around Bucky’s shoulders and was sitting with his hip pressed firmly against Bucky’s. “Of course he knew. We’re dating. I’d be a real asshole if I didn’t tell him. At least, that’s what Pepper called me when she found out. She really did not appreciate the secrecy.”

“Pepper knew?” Steve burst.

Bucky grimaced and rubbed the back of his neck. “I know it’s a lot to take in, and I freaked out when Tony told me too, Steve, but you need to calm down. Tony is still Tony. Just because he is a demon—”

Steve groaned and facepalmed.

“This does explain some things,” Natasha chipped in.

Rhodey, who had been sitting quietly in his chair, nodded numbly. He was probably still in shock from learning that his best friend was a demon and how Tony had hidden it from him for years.

“Listen, don’t blame Bucky for not telling you,” Tony said. “I asked him to keep it a secret. When people think about demons they assume all of us are evil. I admit that I may lack a few moral hang ups here and there, but that’s always been me. As Bucky said, I’m still me, nothing has changed.”

Steve took a deep breath and let it out. “Okay, I don’t blame Bucky. I don’t even blame you, Tony. However, I’m going to need some time to accept this.”

“Ditto,” Rhodey echoed. “Also, I’m pissed at you.”

“You’re not acting pissed,” Tony said.

“I’m still trying to wrap my head around this. Once I do, I am going to be pissed.”

“But you’ll forgive me?”

“Probably. Oddly enough, this isn’t the worst secret you’ve kept.”

“Great.” Tony leaned forward and pecked Bucky on the cheek before standing. “All right, since we survived another Hydra attack and/or kidnapping, you know what that means: ice cream party. I’m going to teleport to the story to pick up a few flavors. Any requests?”

Steve groaned as Natasha and Bucky put in their requests.

His teammate was a demon and dating his best friend.

He supposed it could be worse. At least no one had sold their soul.


End file.
